I think DD is dropping her nap

DD is almost 3.5 years and i thnk shes dropping her nap. Its getting harder and harder to get her to nap these days. For the longest time she has been napping at noon til about 2-2.30pm. Its gotten incresingly later over the last few weeks and now its 1.30-2pm before she finally goes to sleep (after alot of mucking about) and even then she only sleeps 1-1.5 hrs if im lucky.

So i get that she going to drop her nap but the thing is, come 3-4 pm she is a monster. Crying for NO reason, wont eat dinner, wont play, throws tantrums and then come bedtime mucks about til about 8-9pm before finally going to sleep. Its driving me CRAZY!!!

HELP!!! HOW DO I COPE/MANAGE with a 3.5 year old ALL DAY???

BTW, i have a 16 month old son and he sleeps at noon til about 2-3 (if DD doesnt wake him up with her mucking about!!!!) Since DS was born they were both going to sleep together so i would get a much needed rest and we had the mornings and arvos together!!

When she has a sleep does she take a lot longer to go to sleep at night, that was my tell tale sign. When DS started not getting to sleep until after 9pm! This happened around xmas time, so we dropped them for awhile but now he is back to having a sleep every second day. If he doesn't sleep he sits and watchs a movie.

When she has a sleep does she take a lot longer to go to sleep at night, that was my tell tale sign. When DS started not getting to sleep until after 9pm! This happened around xmas time, so we dropped them for awhile but now he is back to having a sleep every second day. If he doesn't sleep he sits and watchs a movie.

If shes doesnt sleep she takes LONGER to go to sleep at night. Thats the drama im having. Shes clearly tried but she just wont go to sleep!!!

When DD1 dropped her nap - coincidentally right when DD2 came along ;/ we introduced quiet time instead.
so she chooses a dvd and lays on her little lounge with a blanket for the duration of the movie. gives her a rest and gets her thru till bedtime minus the tantrums

my DD is 2.5 and I am lucky if she goes for a sleep during the day once a week now. as said above I just introduced quiet time with a DVD or books after she has her lunch. On the weekends DH is always on a mission to wear her out, he is not ready for her to be up all day!! I feel sorry for my poor mother, I stopped day sleeps the day after I turned 1, to this day I am not one for having a dose during the day!

Both my girls dropped their naps before 2- you're lucky she's had one this long!

My 2.5 yr old will occasionally have a nap, but only if I get her down before midday. Otherwise she'll be awake until close to 10pm!!!

A bit of quiet time, or even a DVD or her favourite show might work to give you a bit of a break.

I have 3 little ones and the days my eldest isn't at preschool are just crazy! But I try and wear them out so at least they go to bed at a reasonable time and get to sleep quickly and I can have some "me" time (as well as get all the cleaning and housework done) after they've gone to bed.

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